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DALLAS, TEXAS - North Carolina sophomore Giovani Bernard has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2012 Doak Walker Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top tailback. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of
Directors announced Friday the 10 semifinalists and they are:

Montee Ball
(Sr.), Wisconsin

Kenjon
Barner (Sr.), Oregon

Le'Veon Bell
(Jr.), Michigan State

Giovani
Bernard (So.), North Carolina

David
Fluellen (Jr.), Toledo

Johnathan
Franklin (Sr.), UCLA

Stefphon
Jefferson (Jr.), Nevada

Venric Mark
(Jr.), Northwestern

Joseph
Randle (Jr.), Oklahoma State

Stepfan
Taylor (Sr.), Stanford

Bernard leads the nation in punt return average, is third in the country in all-purpose yards and scoring per game and is fifth in rushing yards per game. He has rushed 126 times for 930 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has 32 receptions for 319 yards and three touchdowns, and 12 punt returns for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

Bernard is averaging 132.9 yards rushing per game and 7.4 yards per rush. He is averaging 8.8 yards per touch. Bernard’s 15 touchdowns this year already ties the fifth-most in a season by a Tar Heel (Amos Lawrence, 1980). He has 29 career touchdowns in 20 games, including 23 rushing scores, four receiving and two punt returns.

Bernard’s career rushing average of 109.2 is higher than the ACC record of 107.0 held by NC State’s Ted Brown.

Members
of the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast their votes to
determine the 2012 finalists. On Monday, November 19, three finalists will be
named. A second vote by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will
determine the recipient. The 2012 Doak Walker Award recipient will be announced
live on TheHome Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6, on ESPN.

The
Award is named after three-time SMU All-America running back and 1948 Heisman
Trophy winner Doak Walker. Walker, who also punted, returned kicks and kicked
extra points, led the Mustangs to two Southwest Conference Championships. He
was drafted by the Detroit Lions and led the league in scoring his rookie year.
During his six years with the Lions, he led the team to two NFL championships
and was chosen All-Pro four times. Walker is a member of both the College and
Pro Football Halls of Fame.

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Honoring the legends of sports for 23 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum
celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series
features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum
includes four luncheons and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation
Banquet.

The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football
Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the
major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity,
influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages
professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member
awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more
information, visit the association's official website, www.ncfaa.org.